Survivor inspired Drag Race winner Monét X Change to be 'very strategic' with 'shady' All Stars 7 cast

Monét X Change might've walked the All Stars 4 runway as the Pope of Drag, but she's approaching the first all-winners season of RuPaul's Drag Race with sinfully delicious glee.

"In this all-winners season, I think the fans are going to see a very strategic Monét. Over the pan-Demi Lovato, I consumed a lot of Survivor, so I'm being very strategic in the way I'm playing this game, girl. You've gotta be crafty. These girls are shady, so you've got to meet them at their shade, but cut them off with a little strategy," Monét tells EW in the video interview above, pegged to our recent cover story on the upcoming All Stars 7 competition. "I know people grew to love me as Miss Congeniality, but you can be congenial and a bitch at the same time. I'm living proof of that and that's what this all-winners season is going to prove, darling."

While she's only leaving a portion of her congenial essence behind, she also explains why she decided to part with most of her wardrobe from past seasons of Drag Race — including nearly all of her iconic looks from season 10 and All Stars 4.

"It was so hard deciding what to sell and what to keep, because Drag Race is obviously very special to me. It's a huge part of my life. One day I'm going to look back in 2047 and I know I'm going to wish I had the Plastic Fantastic look or the Kim K look, but it was time," she says. "Drag just multiplies. The more s--- you get, the more drag starts to consume every part of your home, and I'm like, I need to part with this and give it to some of the fans so they can live with it. But I did keep both entrance looks — season 10 and All Stars 4, and I also kept both promo looks, season 10 and All Stars 4, and I also kept my finale looks. No, I did not, I sold that too."

Monét doing what Monét wants, however, is consistent with her general output both on — and off — the show. Since landing her own talk show, The X Change Rate, and co-founding the successful Sibling Rivalry podcast with fellow Drag Race winner Bob the Drag Queen, Monét has forged a career built on candid opinions on topics both in and outside the queendom. Now, she's ready to be at the center of the conversation once again.

"I know people are going to let me have it in their reviews, and rightfully so. I've done it for years now. People know me to be a very honest person. I don't feel the need to lie and sugar-coat stuff, I say how I really feel about it. If you're offended, you earned that right, and I'm sure I'll be offended by stuff people say about me. But it's all part of it," she says. "If I go on the show, I know I'm going to be critiqued, I know people will have opinions about my outfits, hair, and makeup, but girl, the great thing going back for a third time is I genuinely don't care. Whatever you have to say, baby, work. You're watching me, you're critiquing me, and I'm hopefully going to win. So, it's a win-win. And I'm giving these hoes content, like, if they're going to click because they see Monét on your page? Baby, you're welcome."

See how Monét fares on RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars 7 when it debuts its first two episodes on May 20 via Paramount+. Watch her full solo interview above, and read the all-winners cover story here.

Subscribe toEW's BINGE podcast for full recaps of RuPaul's Drag Race, including weekly season 14 recaps with the cast.

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